Widening participation on early years degrees: 'I realised I could, and would, do this—and I have!'

This article reviews the outcomes to date of a collaborative project at Sheffield Hallam University to develop clear progression routes into higher education (HE) for further education (FE) students studying on Advanced Diploma, Higher National Certificate (HNC) and Higher National Diploma (HND) courses in childcare and education. Since 2002, students from partnership colleges have been eligible for enrolment on the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies degree at Sheffield Hallam, starting at Level 5 or Level 6, depending on previous attainment and performance at interview. While the numbers involved during the past four years have been small, student retention has been high and attainment has equalled that of their traditional-entry colleagues. The results support the notion that it is possible to widen participation without lowering standards or suffering high rates of attrition, but there are implications for students and staff alike.